Bridge guard



NOV. 28, 1950 C, G, GOTTHOLM 2,531,565

BRIDGE GUARD Filed4 June s, 1948 64,62 6.' Garne/@M4 @MR/M Arron/ey Patented Nov. 28, 1950 vUNVFID "STAT-ES PATENT OFFICE This invention Vrelates to lan improvementrin the safety device usedonrailroadscalleda bridge-- Warning or bridge guard-,and more` particularly, the invention relates to, and one of .its objects is to provide, an improvement in thebridge guard disclosed and `claimed `in myprior .PatentNo 2,392,529., issuedJanuary 8,1946.

A further primary object. of my invention isto provide an improved pendant construction particularly adapted forv use Yin the bridge. guard disclosed in myprior patent, whereby theA construction of the tool `that is used for removing and replacing the pendants isv greatly slmplied.

Another object of my invention. is to. provide a'y pendant formed of stiff metallic wire` comprising a loop for supporting the same ,in a .hanger loop of the bridge guard, said pendant loop-be-` ingV provided with a hooked end portion and vhaving. an angularly directed portion adjacent to and adapted to receive ythe hooked end portion of the pendant loop to maintain the pendantloop. closed, saidpendant also having a. second loop` preferably adjacent to or formed within .the -rst mentioned loop thereof; and` thenovel subcomT binations thereof.

Other and further objects ci thelnvention will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying draw# ings forming apart of the present disclosure.

wherein for Vpurposes or illustration one `embodl- ,f

ment of theinvention is illustrated, and wherein:

Fig. l is an elevationalview showing; nay-bridge guard as it is customarily installed on a double track railroad.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary ,elevational View showing my simple method oi construction including the new pendant construction; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary `perspective View of the tool with which atrack Workman can remove a defective pendant vand replace` it With a new.A

one.

Referring to the drawings, lthe bridge-guard, generally indicated by numeral I,- comprisesI a supporting Wire 2, preferably in the former a rope, one or more spacing hangers 3 and a plu-1.

rality of pendants d. The construction @illustrated in Fig. 1 is for a double track railroad and it is obvious that thelconstruction for more or less tracks is Very similar.

vThe Wire rope 2 is supported by means of posts 5 on opposite sides ofthe railroad tracks 6, and, as illustrated, Vthe ends, of -thezrope are passed or looped through Vrings I secured to, ,theupper endportions of the posts 5 andmadefsecureas by meansA of clamps or .the like 8. f

'Y'.Claims. .'1 (Cl. 246-486) Thespacing hanger is preformed v.from stili metallic wire ,fornire-like materiah comprises end loops 9,- ,pendant supporting loops |0and makes one .complete *turnr -aroundthe supporting wire rope Z'between each of the hanger loops ,|0.

" The spacing, hanger mlelyfensages, thewire rope 2 and is ,madein sections or units II convenient inglength,A These sections are Yassem-I bled-at the-sitevvhere the bridge'guard istofbe installed by threading a suncient numberoi the sections II onthegwire rope 2. vThe sections are then firmly `hastened to ieachV other andtothe wire rope by rneansolv simple vcalylfiftge boltsextendedl through the loops 9. Upon assembly, the hanger `sections provide a very rigid ,com struction and resist the tendency of therpendants 4 to swing up over the wire rope Support, when struck by any means whatever.

The pendants 4 with which thetool illustrated in Fig. 3` is-designed for use are formed of: stii metallic Wire such as steel Wire aslWere the pendants disclosed in my prior-patent,l butinclude some Vstructural changes Each of ythe pendants ll comprises arelativelylong pieceof wire which is bent .at one endto form anelongate supporting loop I3y adapted to be,.received in the hanger loops IU. The loop Ishas a hooked or curved free end portion Iii-adaptedto engage the pendanttomaintain the loop closed- Pref*- erably, thependant is provided with an angularly directed portieri` I5 adjacenttov and adapted to receive the curved yend portion I4 of the loop A second, preferably butl not necessarily, closed and smaller elongate attachment-loop I6l .,0m prising side portions I'I islormed inthe pendant l adjacent to,or as illustratedlinthe portion of the pendant defining the loop I3. The. rrlajorv axes of the loops I3 and Iii aresubstantially at right angles to each other, and, .theattachment loop I6 isdirected ,outward and away; from,` the loop I3 sol asf` not Ainterfere withv .the closing thereof.

My Wire working tool isA preferably constructed of metal, and inthe embodimentillustrated in Fig. 3 comprises a tubular member 2l of any desired cross-sectionalconguratiomhaving an end wall- 22 at vone endthereoi. A attened tubular member orloop holder 23 is securedto the end wal1`.22 as by means ofv a -we1d.2d. Vrlille loop holder 7.23, provides an elongate recess` 25'- adaptedtoreceive the Wire loop IS, ofthependant, as will be later described in detail.

One end of a long, Wooden, or tubular-metal handle 2B.; is lreceived within the tubular member 2|, L and in the; embodiment illustrated; the

wall 22 functions to limit the inward movement of the handle and also provides a means connecting the loop holder 23 with the tubular member 2|.

A radially directed, internally threaded, hollow boss or nut 2l surrounds an opening in the tubular member 2I and is suitably secured thereto as by means of a weld 28. An elongate bolt 29 having having a threaded end 30 is received in the boss 2'I for securing the tubular member 2I to the handle 25. The bolt 29 projects outwardly from the tubular member 2l, preferably has a headed free end 3l, and is used to perform an additional function which will be described in detail presently.

The attachment loop I6 of pendant 4 is adapted to be received in the recess of the loop holder 23, as illustrated in Fig. 3, and preferably, the recess 25 is made slightly smaller than the normal width of the loop I8 so that the side portions I'I thereof will be resiliently urged into frictional contact with the end walls 38 of the loop holder 23. This frictional contact releasably but adequately secures the pendant 4 to the tool.

It frequently happens that a pendant 4 of the bridge guard or warning device I becomes damaged and must be replaced and it is for this purpose that the pendant and tool disclosed herein is particularly designed. A single track workman standing on the ground below the bridge guard, with this tool, can quickly remove a defective or damaged pendant 4 and replace it with a new one in the following manner:

To remove a defective pendant 4, the handle 26 is elevated and the bolt 29 is inserted in the closed loop I3 thereof in a direction towards the plane of the drawing. The tool is then given approXimately a quarter turn counter-clockwise, the loop I3 snaps open as shown in the drawing at the left of Fig. 2, and the pendant can readily be lifted out of the hanger loop by the bolt 29.

To place or replace a pendant, the loop Iii of the pendant is positionedin the recess 25 of the loop holder 23 as illustrated in Fig. 3, the loop I3 being open and the free end I4 thereof up or in position to be readily inserted into the hanger loop. Then the tool with the pendant projecting outwardly as shown is raised by the handle 26 to the proper height and the free end I4 of the loop I3 is inserted into the hanger loop I0. Preferably, the loop I3 is hooked through the hanger loop I3 all the way, and the handle 25 is than pulled downwardly to release the tool from the pendant, leaving the pendant hanging with the loop I3 open. rIhe bolt 29 is then inserted in the open loop I3 in a direction outwardly from the plane of the drawing, given approximately a quarter turn counter-clockwise, and the end I4 of the loop snaps over the inclined portion I5 of the pendant to close the loop I3 securely.

The wire working tool disclosed hereinis disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 22,609 led April 22, 1948, now Patent No. 2,488,396 dated November 15, 1949.

In the foregoing disclosure I have illustrated and described only the preferred embodiment of my invention, but it is to be understood that this disclosure is given by way of illustration and not in limitation of the invention, and that I desire to cover any equivalent or modified forms of the invention as come within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a bridge guard comprising a supporting metallic wire having hanger loops, said hanger being wound around said supporting wire rope, a plurality of pendants each made of a stiff metallic wire, each of said pendants having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops being at substantially right angles to each other, one of said two loops being a supporting loop for supporting the pendants in the hanger loops and having a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop, said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, said pendant portion of said supporting loop being angularly directed to maintain said supporting loop closed, the other of said two loops being an attachment loop for holding the pendants with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendants in the hanger loops, and said attachment loop being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

2. In a bridge guard comprising a supporting wire rope and a spacing hanger made of stiff metallic wire having hanger loops, said hanger being wound around said supporting wire rope, a plurality of pendants each made of a stiff metallic wire, each of said pendants having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops being at substantially right angles to each other, one of said two loops being a supporting loop for supporting the pendants in the hanger loops and having a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop, said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, the other of said two loops being an attachment loop for holding the pendants with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendants in the hanger loops, and said attachment loop being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

3. In a bridge guard comprising a supporting wire and a spacing hanger having hanger loop-s, said hanger being wound around said supporting wire, a plurality of pendants each made of a, stiil' metallic wire, each of said pendants having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops being at substantially right angles to each other, one of said two loops being a, supporting loop for supporting the pendants in the hanger loops and having a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop, said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, said pendant portion of said supporting loop being angularly directed to maintain said supporting loop closed, the other of said two loops being an attachment loop for holding the pendants with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendants in the hanger loops, and said attachment loop being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

4. In a bridge guard comprising a supporting Wire and a spacing hanger having hanger loops, said hanger being wound around said supporting wire, a plurality of pendants each made of a stiff metallic wire, each of said pendants having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops wire rope and a spacing hanger made of stii being at substantially right angles t0 each Other.

one of said two loops being a supporting loopfor supporting the pendants in the hanger loops and having a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop,

said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, the other of said two loops being an attachment loop for holding the pendants with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendants in the hanger loops, and said attachment loop being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

5. A pendant for a bridge guard made of an elongate sti metallic wire, said pendant having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops being at substantially right angles to each other, one of said loops being a supporting loop for supporting the pendant on the bridge guard andhavng a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop, said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, said pendant portion of said supporting loop being angularly directed to maintain said supporting loop closed, the other of said loops having an attachment loop for holding the pendant with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendant on the bridge guard, said attachment loop being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

6. A pendant for a bridge guard made of an elongate stiff metallic wire, said pendant having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops being at substantially right angles to each other, one of said loops being a supporting loop for supporting the pendant on the bridge guard and having a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop, said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, the other of said loops being an attachment loop for holding the pendant with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendant on the bridge guard, and said attachment loop being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

7. A pendant for a bridge guard made of an elongate stiff metallic wire, said pendant having two elongate loops, the major axes of said two loops being at substantially right angles to each other, one of said loops being a supporting loop for supporting the pendant on the bridge guard and having a hooked free end portion movable to positions opening and closing said supporting loop, said supporting loop being adapted to be closed by twisting said free end portion around the pendant portion of said supporting loop, the other of said loops being an attachment loop for holding the pendant with said supporting loop in open position for positioning the pendant on the bridge guard, and said attachment loop being formed in said supporting loop and being directed outward and away from said supporting loop whereby not to interfere with the closing thereof.

CARL G. GOTTHOLM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 700,208 Lafo et al May 20, 1902 951,133 Kitts Mar. 8, 1910 1,340,745 Watson May 18, 1920 2,392,529 Gottholm Jan. 8, 1946 

